FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) -- The Fayetteville National Cemetery celebrated 150 years of America’s heroes being laid to rest at the historic landmark on Monday (July 3).
They also celebrated a donation of 2.4 acres of land by the Regional National Cemetery improvement corporation.
“Getting the land donation on top of the 150th anniversary is a good thing because that ensures that we will be able to continually serve the veterans with a place of honor to interred them at a national shrine,” Albert Maxwell said.
The Regional National Cemetery improvement corporation was formed in the mid-80s after the National Cemetery ran out of space for burials. They buy land and then donate it to the Veterans Administration and then to the National Cemetery.
Commander of the Combat Vets Association Steve Real said last summer he and another veteran came out to the new land to help tear down a house to help get it ready for today.
“To be a part of this and to see the community come together. You know there were a lot of businesses and individuals that were donating to this event. So it's really humbling to me to see that the community comes together to provide this additional land for future veterans,” Real said.
More than 8,000 people are buried in this cemetery and they have around 300 burials every year.
“There are a lot of veterans in this area and we are limited on places to be buried and this is a great place, it's beautiful, it's very historic and it's sacred land, so it's an honor to be laid to rest here,” he said.
The Fayetteville National Cemetery is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is on the Civil War Discovery Trail.